Timing device



Jul 24, 1934. R. w. GOFF ET AL TIMING DEVICE Filed NOV. 23, 1932 Fig.1.

Inventors: Robe-rt \Al Goffi William J Fieming,

aw aw gg 5E5 r W W Their" Abborneg- Patented July 24, 1934' .UNITED sriArss PAreNr ounce restate i r T nnvrcn I Robert W. Got? and wuiam .lL. Fleg, Schenectady, N. 5.7., assigno'rs to-General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application November as, 1932, Serial No. emote Z @laims. (Cl. 161 -1) Our invention relates to timing devices, more particularly to such devices for controlling the closing of a' plurality of contacts in timed sequence, and has for an object the provision of a Simple and reliable timing device adjustable over a wide range.

While it is not limited thereto our invention is particularly applicable to motor starters of the magnetically operated type.

ing motors a gear escapement timing mechanism of the pendulum type has been employed to intro= duce a time delay between the closing of the accelerating 'contactors. The time interval be tween the closing of the contacts was varied by the adjustment of the pendulum weight with respect to its pivot point. However, the range of the timing adjustment of devices of thistype is inherently limited and ordinarily is oi the order of 2 to 1.

In carrying out our invention in one form there of we provide a magnetically operated switch with a timing device which may be adjusted to control the time of closing oithe contacts of the switch from substantially zero time to a predetermined time interval, that is to say, a timing device having a range of at least 10 to 1. More specifically, we provide a gear escapement timing device with an oscillating weight pivoted at its center and operatively connected to an escapement by means of an adjustable connection. The adiust= able connection permits the control of the amplitude of oscillation of the weight from zero to a predetermined maximum.

vention reference should now be had to the drawing in-which Fig. 1 illustrates a front elevation of a magnetic starter embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 49 1; Fig. 4: is a sectional elevation taken on the lines i4 of Fig. 2; while Fig. 5 illustrates an exploded view of the spring motor employed to operate the timing'mechanism.

Referring to the drawing, we have shown our invention in one form as applied to the operation of an improved magnetic starter 10. The novel features of the starter 10 form no part of our present invention and are shown and broadly claimed in the copending application, Ser. No. .644947, filed Nov. 23, 1932,.Goff and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. The invention herein claimed is limited to the timing device 19 which is particularly suitable for the starter shown though it may be used for starters 5 of the type shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,918,030. In the present application the starter or circuit controller will be described by saying that a plurality of contacts 11 to 15, inclusive; under the joint control of a solenoid 18 and a timing device '19 control'the motor or load circuit.

Heretofor'e in start For a more complete understanding of our in The plunger 2(l'oi the solenoid is connected toone end of a lever 21 by means of a pin 22. The

other end of the lever 21 forms a part of the contact operating member 23; by means of which the line contacts 12 are immediately closed whenever the coil 24 of the solenoid is energized. The accelerating contacts 13, 14 and 15 are arranged to be closed in time sequence, each contact arm being secured to the end 25 of the shaft 26, which shaft also forms a support for the member 23. The only connection between the member 23 and the shaft 26 is provided by a coil spring 28. As

shownin Fig. 5, the inner end of the spring is connected to a hubportion 29 of a ilangeflil, pro- .vided on the member 23, by means of a slot 31.

The outer end of the spring extends through the slot 33 of enclosing casing 34, the hub of which is secured to the shaft 26 by a pin 35. The coil spring 28 is normally maintained under tension so that the normal tension of the spring can be applied to the shaft 26 to close the contacts 13 to .15, inclusive. The normal tension of the spring is obtained when the switch is assembled. For example, the inner endof the spring is placed in the slot 31 and the outer end of the spring is placed in the slot 83. The enclosing casing 34 is then rotated in a counterclockwise direction until an extension 36 from the casing coincides with an arcuate slot 37 provided by the flange 30. lit will now be observed that the normal tension of the spring is applied to the shaft 26 whenever the solenoid 18 rotates the member 23 and the flange in a clockwise direction. The function of the arcuate slot 37 is to clear the path for the projection 361. By maintaining the coil spring under tension and applying the resultant force to the shaft 26 a substantially constant rotative efiort is maintained throughout the closing of the contacts 13 to 15, inclusive. Furthermore, this same efiort of substantially constant magnitude is effecclosed positions.

The timing device 19 controls the time of opera.- tion of the switches 13, 14: and 15. The device 19 is connected to theshaft 26 by means of a gear segment to arranged to mesh with a timer driving gear 41. Referring to Figs. 3 and d, it will be seen that the gear 41 is secured to a shaft 42 supported in a bracket 43 formed from the enclosing casing 44 of the timing device. The timing device itself is operated by a ratchet gear 45 connected to the shaft 42 by means of a one-way clutch 46 mounted in concentric relation with the gear 45. An escapement- 48 and an oscillating weight 49 are connected together bymeans U: a member 50 secured to the escapement as by the screws 52.

The member 50 and the oscillating weight 49 are t secured inany position along the lengths of the the same time as the line contacts 11.

sult of moving the adjusting screw 56 towards the slots. It will 'be observed that the oscillatin weight 49 is pivotally supported at its center to the shaft 42 by means of a bushing 58. By loosening the adjusting screw the are through which the oscillating weight is moved under the influence of the escapement {t8 may be varied from zero to a maximum. As shown, a ratio of 10 to 1. may be secured for the timing device; that is to say, the time of closing of'the contacts 13 to the range of operation may be greatly increased.

In the operation of our invention it will be assumed that the parts are in the positions shown in the drawing. As soon as the solenoid 18 is energized the plunger 20 operates the member 23 (Fig. 5)- in a clockwise direction so as toclear the path for the projection 36 on the enclosing casing 34. At the same time the member 23 closes the fine contacts 12. In addition to clearing the path for the extension 36 the rotation of the member 23 and its'hub portion 29 winds the coil spring 28 so as to increase the rotative effort applied by the spring 28 to the shaft 26. As the shaft 26 begins to move, the driving gear 41 rotates a stationary member 61 of the one-way clutch so that the ball bearing 62 biased by a spring 63 forms a driving engagement with the inner surface of the ratchet gear 45 and the member 61 of the clutch. As a result of the driving effort on the ratchet gear 45 the escapement 48 is oscillated about its pivot 59. For each oscillation of the escapement, the oscillating weight must be moved through an arc sufiicient for the escapement to disengage itself from a tooth of the gear 45. The oscillating weight is then driven back and forth and provides a positively operated time delay for the operation of the contacts 13 to 15.

After the accelerating contacts 13, 14 and 15 have been closed, a projection 34a formed on the casing 34 opens the contacts 11 to reduce energization of the motor field winding.

If at any time the solenoid 18 is deenergized the Weight of the plunger and of the switch mechanism is sufficient to return the parts to the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As soon as the return movement begins the ball bearing 62 disengages itself from the clutch member 61 and the ratchet gear A5 so that the timing device does not interfere with the opening of the contacts.

In order to adjust the rate of closing of the contacts 13 to 15 to accommodate the motor starter to "varioussizes of motors, it is only necessary to loosen the nut of the adjusting screw 56 and to move the screw towards the shaft n to increase the time, of closing or to move the screw 56 towards the escapement 48 to decrease the time of closing. If, for example, the adjusting pin or screw 56 is secured with its axis coinciding with the axis of the pin 59 of the escapement, the oscillating weight 49 will remain stationary and the contacts 13 to 15 will close at substantially The reshaft 42 is to increase the mass which must be parting movement to said weight, and connecting means between said escapement and said oscillating weight for varying the movement of said weight from zero to a predetermined maximum. 7

2. A timing device comprising an oscillating weight, a ratchet gear and an escapement, supporting means common to said gear and said oscillating weight, and movable means connecting said escapement to said oscillating weight for controlling the oscillation of said weight from zero to a predetermined maximum.

3. A timing device comprising an oscillating weight, a ratchet gear, an escapement, and adjustable connecting means between said escapement and said oscillating weight for varying the movement of said weight under the influence of said escapement from zero to a predetermined maximum movement.

4:. A timing device comprising a shaft, 8. driving gear, a driven ratchet gear and an oscillating weight supported by said shaft, an escapement arranged in cooperative relation with said ratchet gear and a connection between said ratchet gear and said escapement for varying the oscillation of said weight from zero to a predetermined maximum oscillation.

5. A timing device comprising a shaft, a driving gear and a ratchet gear secured to said shaft, an oscillating weight supported from said shaft,

an escapement arranged in cooperative relation with said ratchet gear, a driving member for said weight secured to said escapement and extending in spaced relation over a substantial length of said weight, and an adjustable connection bodily movable along said driving member and connecting said member to said weight thereby to impart oscillation to said weight under the influence of said escapement.

6. A. timing device comprising a driving shaft, a ratchet gear arranged to be driven from said shaft, an escapement associated with said ratchet gear, a pivot for said escapement, an oscillating weight pivotally supported on said shaft, the said weight having an elongated slot, a slotted member secured to said escapement above said pivot and extending in spaced relation along saidweight.

-'l. A timing device comprising a weight arranged to be oscillated, an escapement, adjustable means -connecting said escapement to said weight, a ratchet gear for said escapement provided with gear teeth on its periphery and a smooth inner surface, a one-way clutch concentrically mounted with respect to said gear for engaging -said inner surface to drive said gear, and a driving shaft supporting said weight,

ratchet gear and clutch and arranged to drive.

said clutch.

ROBERT W. GOFF. WHIIAM J. FLEMING. 

